Authentication in the blink of an eye

DRIVE-BY SCREENING: Sarnoff's Iris on the Move Vehicle Pass-through System uses a pan/tilt/zoom mechanism that allows it to capture iris images for people inside vehicles at various heights.

Two of the biggest barriers to widespread adoption of security devices that use biometric identifiers are their inconvenience and intrusiveness.

The time they take to process information can result in long lines at access points, and some users balk at biometric scans, especially those that require them to put their faces close to an iris reader.

Sarnoff, a subsidiary of SRI International, has taken a step toward nonintrusiveness with a walk-through and drive-through iris-identification system that can verify iris scans of people at a distance, even when they're inside vehicles.

Sarnoff 's Iris on the Move Vehicle Pass-through System uses a pan/tilt/zoom mechanism that allows it to capture iris images for people inside vehicles at various heights, and the system works under a range of lighting conditions. It can also be used at walk-through points in office buildings, airports and other locations. The device is designed for high-traffic areas and can handle about 20 subjects per minute, according to the company.

The federal government has already deployed the system at several locations, though Sarnoff declined to identify the clients.